Bladestorm: Nightmare Reviews
Bladestorm: Nightmare can appeal to both Warriors fans and those who don't even get into Tecmo Koei's flagship series. Its brilliance exists in those moments of storming enormous strongholds with an army of 100-strong at your back, ready to slice and dice through wave after wave of enemies.
One that only hardcore fans will enjoy
A solid game that has aged over time with exploits which take the challenge out of combat but makes it up with a more engaging expansion.
It's a half-hearted attempt at bringing the series into the current generation, and is only barely recommended for the absolute die-hard fans of the original. This is a real shame and even if you can get past the bare-bones approach to remastering that Omega Force have taken, you probably won't get past all the bugs.
Bladestorm: Nightmare is thoroughly enjoyable throughout. From its awful voices to its crazy fantasy mode about fighting dragons, or its more down to earth medieval tale, the game really tries to make up for any shortcomings the original release had. The updated visuals are very good, even with its downfalls, and the gameplay, once it's been deciphered, is fun. All in all, it's a great title for fans of the Warriors franchises, but be prepared for the differences and enjoy the new experience. Here is hoping for a sequel!
Bladestorm: Nightmare is a game with a limited audience. RTS fans will find it too simplistic, and Warriors fans will find the pace to be too slow. It doesn't hit the correct buttons to competently fill either role. The Nightmare-exclusive additions are almost all positive and well-implemented, but they're a thin coat of paint on an increasingly dated product. The game lacks any punch, and it has too many problems for its strengths to shine through. If you're desperate for a RTS on consoles or were a fan of the original, then give this a shot, but most fans will get more enjoyment out of playing as Joan of Arc in Warriors Orochi 3.
You get loads of content in the game, and in following the tradition of recent Koei Tecmo games there is loads of character customisation options. Bladestorm has a unique flavour, and it's one that takes a while to really settle in. But, once you get into its rhythm it has just the right mix of history and fantasy elements so that it does respect to one of the most fascinating periods of historical conflict, while letting you have some fun with it too.
Bladestorm: Nightmare offers a fun romp across expansive battlefields, with solid if unspectacular combat and character progression mechanics. The Hundred Years' War campaign doesn't know how seriously to take itself, but the excellent, over-the-top Nightmare campaign more than makes up for this. Recommended if you're in the market for something quirky and haven't experienced the original game.
A combat and team focused Musuo game that is tragically let down by buggy AI, poor optimisation, and dodgy framerates.
There's lots to appreciate about Bladestorm: Nightmare, with only its drawn-out gameplay and technical issues holding it back. Until those are worked out, perhaps this series is destined to remain with simply cult appeal.